Orthopedic chair



Jan. 9, 1962 M. CAPLAN ORTHOPEDIC CHAIR 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 30, 1959 INVENTOR. MARVIN CAPLAN BY ATTORNEY.

M. CAPLAN ORTHOPEDIC CHAIR Jan. 9, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 30, 1959 v INVENTOR. MARVIN CAPLAN ATTORNEY Jan. 9, 1962 M. CAPLAN ORTHOPEDIC CHAIR 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 30. 1959 INVENTOR. MARVIN CAPLAN ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,016,266 ORTHOPEDIC CHAIR Marvin Caplan, Watertown, Mass. (16 Prescott Road, Concord, Mass.) Filed Mar. 30, 1959, Ser. No. 802,933

8 Claims. (Cl. 297-150) This invention relates generally to orthopedic aids, and is more particularly concerned with a novel chair for facilitating the care of a child confined to a hip spica cast;

A condition known as a congenital hip" is a relatively common ailment of infants. One of the accepted treatments for this condition is to place the child at a very young age in a rigid cast extending from beneath the armpits .tothe end of the toes and shaped to hold both legs in aposition extending outwardly from the body so as to force the ball joints of the hips into their sockets. This type of cast is known as a spica cast and may be required for aperiod of a year or two before the treatment is complete. During this period, of course, the size of the cast'may'have to be changed to allow for the growth of the child, but except for the brief removal for this purpose, the cast must be continuously worn. Obviously, it is distressing to parents, particularly to the mother who'is with the child for longer periods, to see their child confined to such a cast, and by reason of the shape of the cast it has heretofore been impossible for the confined child to sit upright or to lie in a crib. It has been necessary for. the child to be strapped to an inclined frame, on its back, or on its stomach, making it virtually impossible for the child to observe its surroundings or to engage in normal activities, such as playing or feeding itself. Although the cast is provided with an opening to allow excretion, because of the inclined position the cast becomes soiled from urine and feces, a most undesirable condition when it is remembered that the cast must be kept on for extended periods of time.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a chair in which a child confined to a spica cast may sit upright unattended. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a chair for a Spica cast patient which facilitates moving the patient from place to place.

Another object of the invention is to provide a chair for a spica cast patient which appreciably minimizes soiling the cast by excretion products.

Another object of the invention is to provide a chair which may be used indoors as an article of furniture but is readily adaptable for use as a car seat or for attachr ment to a stroller. p

Briefly, one embodiment of the invention consists of a bifid box-type chair having spaced vertical sides with curved cutouts conforming generally in shape to the cast in the region of the thigh. The vertical sides are spaced apart by top and bottom supports, and a back is placed between the vertical supports in a generally vertical position. A utility tray or table is adjustably mounted on the top support and is formed with a rounded cutout portion at the inner edgeto engage the cast in the vicinity of the patients chest. With the cutout portion urged against the cast the child is locked in position between the tray and the back of the chair. The chair is equipped with a potty supportedbeneath the patient and accessible through a hinged door located in the front of the chair so as to be placed in position and removed while the patient is in place on the chair. The chair may be provided with curved straps extending upwardly from the back for use as a car seat and/or may be provided with cross pieces for attachment to the frame of a commercially available stroller.

Another embodiment of the'invention consists of two 3,016,266 Patented Jan. 9, 1962' P ice ;vertical side members having cutouts as before for receiving the cast in the region of the thighs and spaced apart with a back portion, this assembly being pivotally supported in a box-like frame and adapted to be swung from a position where the patient is sitting upright to a reclining position. The back is providedwith an extension hingedly mounted thereon and adapted for locking in the plane of the back of thechair to provide a support for a cushion on which the patient may be placed while in the reclined position. A table top or tray is-adjustably secured to the box-like frame and is provided with a cutout to lock the patient between the table top and the back of the chair when he is in the upright position.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention, and a better-understanding of its construction will be had from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in'which:

P16. 1 is a perspective view of the reclining version i of the chair, in the upright position, with a patient shown thereon in phantom; a FIG. 2' is an oblique top view-of the chair of FIG-'1 showing the back extension in place, and with the tray tipped up to show the supportingstructure therefor;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the rigid upright version of the chair; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 1, a child (shown in phantom) wearing a spica cast is shown in the upright position on a chair of the type adapted for use in either the upright or reclining position. As was mentioned earlier, the cast is rigid and extends from the underarms of the patient to the feet to hold the legs in an outstretched straight or inverted frog leg position. The cast, which is made of plaster, is sufficiently stiff and strong to support'the child without splitting by essentially line contact supports in the region'of the thighs of the patient, since the childs weight is distributed over the inner surface of the cast.

The chair in accordance with this embodiment of the invention includes two essentially L-shaped vertical side pieces 10 and 12, formed for example of half-inch plywood, spaced apart by a vertical front piece 14. As best seen in FIG. 2, the vertical side pieces are joined at the top by a horizontally placed piece 16 and at the bottom by transverse channels 18 and 20 to form a rigid box-like structure. The channels '18 and 20 extending beyond the sidesof the frame give the chair lateral rigidity when placed on the floor, and permit convenient mounting of the chair on a stroller.

The actual support for the patient comprises two vertical side members 22 and 24, which may also'be formed of plywood, secured to and spaced apart by a back piece 26and one or more struts 28 located near the'top and front of the side pieces. Each of side pieces 22 and 24 is formed from a generally rectangular'piece of material and provided with generally semicircular cutouts 30, the diameter of the cutouts being suflicient to receive the spica cast in the region of the thighs without wedging.

To the rear of the cutouts the side pieces extend upwardly to provide supportsfor the back of the chair, and for To minimize abrasion of the cast, the cutouts are fitted with a cushioning material, such as foam rubber,covered by a suitable fabric 32. A relatively shallow cutout in v26a is formed near the top of back piece 26 equidistantly between the vertical side piecesto engage the curved contour of the back of the cast to aid in preventing sidewise movement of the patient. It is to be noted that the space between the side pieces in the region below the patient is completely open.

The bifid chair just described is pivotally supported in the box-like frame at 34 by any suitable means such as a pair of bolts passing through contiguous side pieces of the frame and chair, or by a rod extending across the box-like frame. The chair is locked in the upright position by a suitable locking means 36 mounted exteriorly of side pieces 19 and 12 and arranged to engage openings in side pieces 22 and 24 of the chair. These locks may be'o'f the form shown in FIG. 3, consisting of a spring-urged pin-arranged 'to engage a hole through the side pieces of the chair. The L-shaped side pieces and the open construction of the box-like frame permits the chair being swung, when unlocked, from the position shown to a reclining position in which it can be locked by engagement of the hole 38 by the lock 36. Because the chair is pivoted at its top and forward edge, the longitudinal shift of the center of gravity of the patients weight is relatively "small in'moving from the upright to the recliningposition.

Turning now to FIG. 2, top piece 16 of the frame is provided at its edges with metal tracks 40 of the kind found on some infants highchairs on which a piece 42 corresponding generally in shape to top piece 16 is adjustably and removablysecured. A table top or tray 44 is hingedly secured at 46 and 48 at the forward edge of piece 42. The hinges permit the table top being tipped upwardly to facilitate placing on and removing a child from the chair, the table being locked in the down position when the patient is in place by a suitable lock 50 secured to the underside of table 44 and positioned to engage member 42. The inner edge of table 44 is cut out at 44A to generally conform in shape with the contour of the spica cast in the region of the chest of the patient. "The member-42being slidable on tracks 40 and lockable atseveral positions, when the patient has been placed on the chair the table top maybe pushed against the cast, holding the cast in position between it and the curved cutout 26a in the back of the chair. Thus, the table top and chairback cooperate to support the patient rigidlyupright against sidewise motion as well as forward and back-motion. The tabletop is at a height convenient for use as a play table, or if the child is sufficiently old,

he can feed himself from utensils supported on the tray.

A hinged door 50 in front piece 14 affords access, with the patient in place on the chair, to a tray or"potty 5 2 supported on .cross members 18 and 20 directly below the patient.

To provide support for thehead and shoulders of the baby when'the chair is in the reclined position, the back is provided with art-extension '54 which is hinged to the top edge o'fback piece 26. To each edge, near the outer extremity of extension 54, are two wings 56: and 58 secured by hinges so as to be folded inwardly to the inner side of extension 54. In the-spread position shownthe extension-and the "wings" provide a rather broad support fora. cushion or pillow. The back extension 54 is held in the positionshownbyapair of locking pins 60 secured to the side pieces 22 and 24 and adapted to engage transverse-openings fiz in the extension '54. The locking pin maybe of the "form shown in FIGS consisting essentially of a pin 'dtla which -is urged by a spring 6% into the opening 62 and-adapted to be disengaged by pulling the pin outward against the compression of the spring by knob 60c; 'When the chair is used-in the upright position of FIG. 1, the wings 56 and =58 are folded in upon extension 54, and extension 54 is folded in out of the way to the rear of'the back piece'26. V

In FIG. '4 is "shown a ,chair which has many features in common with the embodiment just'described, except thatit is usable only in the upright position. Interchangeable parts of the two vchairs areidentiiied by like reference numerals .and will be only briefiymentionedin thedescription-ot this embodiment. This chair consists generally of two generally rectangular vertical side pieces 79 and 72 spaced apart by front member 74 which has a hinged door 5t; therein to aiford access to the potty 52. This structure is mounted on transverse supports 18 and 26, which may be channeled to permit ready attachment to a stroller or the like. At the top front of this assembly is secured a top piece corresponding to member 16 of FIG. 2, which, in turn, supports the slid able member 4-2 to which the table top 44 is hingedly secured. Side members 74) and 72 are formed with generally semicircular cutouts 30 of sufficient diameter to receive the cast, the side members to the rear of the cutouts extending upwardly above the level of the table top 44 and supporting a back piece 76 therebetween. The back 76 preferably extends from about the midheight of back 76 to near the top of the side pieces and may be rigidly secured to the side pieces. It is desirable, however, to make the back adjustable to some degree, which may be accomplished by hinging the .lower end of back '76 to the side members 76 and 72 .at 78 and 8t and providing means for locking the upper edge of the back in a number of different positions. For example, the side members '70 and 72rnay each be "formed with a plurality of holes, spaced from front to back, as shown in FIG. 5, for receiving pins 82 and 84 slidably supported on the rear side of back member 7.6. The pins 82 and 84 may be provided with levers 82a and 84a, respectively, whereby both pins may be conveniently unlocked with one hand leaving the other free to adjust the position of the back. A pair of curved straps :86 and 88 are shown attached to the rear 'side of the back 76 for engaging the back of an automobile seat so as to permit the use of the chair as a car seat. As with the earlier described chair, when the cutout 44a of the table is pushed into engagement with the spica cast, the'child is effectively locked in the chair, and the cross members 18 and 2t prevent tipping of the chair should the child be unusually active.

From the foregoing it is seen that applicant has provided a chair in which a child in a spica cast may be maintained in an upright position for feeding and play without attendance. Confinement to a frame is substantially reduced and the child is able to be closer to the center of family activity. enables the child to have a change of environmenhtotake a full part in family activities, Whether indoors, outdoors, or in an automobile. if of sufficient age, the child may independently feed himself, and the tray permits normal childhood activity such as free selection of toys. The chair has proven in several casestobe of great benefit to both mother and child.

What is claimed is:

1. For a patient wearing a spica cast which rigidly maintains both legs of the patient in a laterally outstretched position, a chair comprising, a box-like supporting frame, a seat including a pair of spaced apart upstanding side pieces having cutouts therein extending downwardly from the upper edges thereof, means including a back piece disposed between and secured to said side pieces spacing said side pieces such that the lower edges of said cutouts engage said cast in the region of the thighs of the patient, and means supporting said side 'rnembers on said frame along an axis forward and above said cutouts for movement from a position where position.

' 3. A chair in accordance with claim 2 wherein said table top is hinge'dly mounted at the forward edge to be tilted upwardly to facilitate placing the patient on the Easy mobility of the chair chair, and means for releasably locking said table top in the horizontal position.

4. For a patient wearing a spica cast which rigidly maintains the legs of the patient in a laterally outstretched position, an orthopedic chair adapted to receive and secure the patient comprising, a pair of vertically disposed side pieces each having a generally semicircular cutout at the upper edge thereof of a diameter suflicient to receive said cast in the region of the thigh of the patient, means including a generally vertical back piece spacing said side pieces apart at a distance such that the lower edge of said cutouts engage said cast in the region of the thighs of the patient, a tabletop supported for adjustable horizontal movement above the upper edges of said side pieces and shaped .at the edge confronting said back piece to engage said cast in the region of the chest of the patient to firmly hold the patient against said back piece and limit movement of the patient, a boxlike supporting frame including vertical side pieces spaced apart sufliciently to receive said chair therebetween, and means supporting said side pieces of said chair on said frame for pivotal movement about an axis forward and above said cutouts from a position where said back piece is substantially vertical to a position where said back piece is generally horizontal.

5. For a patient wearing a spica cast which rigidly maintains the legs of the patient in a laterally outstretched position and which encircles the torso of the patient and extends upward to the underarms of the patient, an orthopedic chair adapted to receive and rigidly secure the patient in position comprising, a pair of rigid vertically disposed side pieces each having a generally semicircular cutout at the upper edge thereof of a diame ter to receive said cast'in the region of the thigh of the patient, means including a rigid generally vertical back piece disposed between and joined to said side pieces rigidly spacing said side pieces apart at such a distance that the lower curved edge of said cutouts engage said cast along spaced apart lines of contact in the region of the thighs of the patient to thereby constrain the patient against sidewise movement, said side and back pieces defining a vertically disposed box-like structure which is open at both ends, and a table top adjustably supported forwardly of said cutouts for horizontal movement above the upper edges of said side pieces into engagement with the cast in the region of the chest of the patient to lock the patient against said back piece to limit front and back movementof the patient.

6. 'A chair in accordance with claim 5 wherein said table top is hingedly mounted at its forward edge to be tilted upwardly to facilitate placing the patient on the chair.

7. For a patient Wearing a spica cast which rigidly maintains the legs of the patient in a laterally outstretched position and which encircles the torso of the patient and extends upward to the underarms of the patient, an orthopedic chair adapted. to receive and rigidly secure the patient in position comprising, a pair of rigid vertically disposed side pieces each having a generally semicircular cutout at the upper edge thereof of a diameter to receive said cast in the region of the thigh of the patient, means including a rigid generally vertical back piece disposed between and joined to said side pieces rigidly spacing said side pieces apart at such a distance that the lower curved edge of said cutouts engage said east along spaced apart lines of contact in the region of the thighs of the patient to thereby constrain the patient against sidewise movement, said side and back pieces defining a vertically disposed box-like structurewhich is open at both ends, a frame structure for supporting said chair on the floor or the like, and a table top adjustably supported forwardly of said cutouts for horizontal move ment above the upper edges of said side pieces into engagement with the cast in the region of the chest of the patient to lock the patient against said back piece to limit front and back movement of patient.

8. A chair in accordance with claim 7 wherein said chair is supported on said frame structure for pivotal movement from a position where said back piece is substantially vertical to a position where said back piece is generally horizontal.

References Cited in the file of this patent 2,655,982 Christensen Oct. 20, 1953 

